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ORIGINAL PAPER
Brand equity in the digital age: The impact of fan activity on social media on the value of national team
1
Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw
Submission date: 2025-12-11
Final revision date: 2026-06-09
Acceptance date: 2026-06-19
Publication date: 2026-07-29
JoMS 2026;66(2):242-262
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The purpose of this article was to examine the influence of digital fan engagement – conceptualised through the COBRA model (consumption, contribution, creation) – on the components of Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), namely brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, and loyalty, using the case of the Polish Men’s National Volleyball Team.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted via an online survey administered to a sample of 566 fans who follow the team’s official social media profiles. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to analyse the relationships between the levels of online engagement and the components of brand equity.
Results:
The findings confirmed a significant positive effect of content consumption on all CBBE components. Frequent, albeit passive, interactions with the brand enhanced brand awareness, positive associations, perceived quality, and loyalty towards the national team. In contrast, content contribution and content creation did not demonstrate positive effects; moreover, contribution was associated with lower levels of brand awareness.
Conclusions:
The study highlights the critical role of high-quality and easily accessible content designed for passive consumption in building national team brand equity. The results provide practical implications for the marketing strategies of sports federations, sponsors, and institutions responsible for promoting sport and national identity.
The purpose of this article was to examine the influence of digital fan engagement – conceptualised through the COBRA model (consumption, contribution, creation) – on the components of Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), namely brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, and loyalty, using the case of the Polish Men’s National Volleyball Team.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted via an online survey administered to a sample of 566 fans who follow the team’s official social media profiles. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to analyse the relationships between the levels of online engagement and the components of brand equity.
Results:
The findings confirmed a significant positive effect of content consumption on all CBBE components. Frequent, albeit passive, interactions with the brand enhanced brand awareness, positive associations, perceived quality, and loyalty towards the national team. In contrast, content contribution and content creation did not demonstrate positive effects; moreover, contribution was associated with lower levels of brand awareness.
Conclusions:
The study highlights the critical role of high-quality and easily accessible content designed for passive consumption in building national team brand equity. The results provide practical implications for the marketing strategies of sports federations, sponsors, and institutions responsible for promoting sport and national identity.
License
FUNDING
Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego na lata 2025/2026 w ramach Projektu Badawczego Uniwersytetu AWF Warszawa, UPB nr 11, zatytułowanego: Społeczne aspekty uprawiania sportu i kultury fizycznej w perspektywie kulturowej tradycji, historii i współczesności.
Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the years 2025/2026 as part of the University Research Project of AWF Warsaw, UPB No. 11, entitled: Social Aspects of Sport and Physical Culture Practices in the Cultural Perspective of Tradition, History, and Modernity.
Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the years 2025/2026 as part of the University Research Project of AWF Warsaw, UPB No. 11, entitled: Social Aspects of Sport and Physical Culture Practices in the Cultural Perspective of Tradition, History, and Modernity.
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